Giesen Group Launches New iOS App

GIESEN GROUP USES TECHNOLOGY TO SHARE ITS TERROIR AND SHOWCASE THE WAIRAU VALLEY IN 3DThe App makes it easy to find and share brand information

Giesen Group has embraced new technology to share quick, concise information on its vineyards and wines with distributors and trade partners across the world. A new Giesen Group iOS app takes users into Giesen’s Wairau Valley, Marlborough vineyards with sweeping aerial footage of the vines, supported by tasting notes and wine production information.

Giesen Group Marketing Manager, Angela Flynn said an app was created to allow quick and simple access to Giesen and Ara wine brand information, including vineyard footage and tasting notes for more than 100 distributors throughout the world.

“We live in a world where media and information sources are available on-demand and at people’s fingertips. Increasingly, everyone expects anytime, anywhere consumption of media content. This provided us with a new opportunity to connect with people who sell our Giesen and Ara wine brands.”

“Just looking at the New Zealand statistics made us confident that developing an app was an effective way to share our unique story to distributors and trade,” Angela said.

Seven in ten New Zealanders own a mobile device. Nearly two thirds (64%) own a smartphone, 33% own a tablet device and more than a quarter own both a tablet and a smartphone, a fivefold increase since 2012. Close to two thirds (65%) of the NZ online population access digital content via a smartphone each week. (Figures from www.shopnielsen.com). While these statistics are for NZ, they are similar throughout the world.

Angela says one of the most exciting aspects of the application is the 3D map of the Wairau Valley which includes stunning aerial drone footage of some of Giesen Group’s Marlborough vineyards. “As far as we’re aware no other Marborough winery has presented their terroir in this type of 3D map.”

Giesen engaged Christchurch-based Publica to develop the app. Publica Creative Director and Co-Founder,Mark Spurgeon said that identifying the core features of the app early on was key to its success in design and development. Giesen wanted an app that would easily help communicate with distributors and trade their range of wines and rich history and, importantly, the unique place in which their wines are grown and produced. To express this visually we worked together to create a 3D navigable map with video.

“This is a powerful tool which transports users into a virtual valley allowing people throughout the world to visit Marlborough, see Giesen Group’s vineyards, and learn about wines they create there,” asserts Mark.

He says the key to the success of every app is ensuring its features are easy to use, it has strong user retention, looks great and has a real purpose. “The Giesen Group app hits all these vital hallmarks and together we have created a true extension of the Giesen and Ara wine brands in an app that users can carry around in their pockets.”

“The Giesen Group app has been designed to ensure there are a limited number of click-throughs for users to find the information they require. Additionally, we made sure it was easy for users to share information by allowing them to choose their preferred content-sharing app on their iOS device directly from the app allowing easy dissemination tasting notes and vineyard profiles,” Angela said.

The free app is available for anyone to download from the Apple iTunes store here. Angela says the company will initially promote it globally to Giesen Group distributors and trade partners. The next step will be developing an android version and then eventually sharing the app with wine drinking consumers around the world. Giesen have an ongoing partnership with Publica which will ensure the app is continually updated with new aerial vineyard footage, tasting notes, awards and accolades.

Giesen Group has grown from an enterprise started by the three Giesen brothers, Theo, Alex, and Marcel when they immigrated from Germany in 1981. Today the brothers employ more than 120 people, selling wines in more than 40 countries, with Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom being their largest markets. Giesen own 13 vineyards throughout Marlborough’s highly sought-after Wairau Valley. Of these vineyards sitting on 700 acres of land, 20% are certified organic or in transition. Giesen Group also has long-standing relationships with 70 of Marlborough’s premium grape growers ensuring they have consistently high quality fruit.